A Swanky High-End Getaway: Fyve

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THE FEEL OF FYVE, a recently opened restaurant and lounge in the dining space of the Pentagon City Ritz-Carlton, seems both highfalutin and low-key.

Truth is, both assessments would be right.

Located minutes from that paragon of pent-up peacekeeping, this eatery is less homage than retreat. You can envision weary state officials tucking into one of the lounge settees and fraternizing with bejeweled patrons and happy-hour honchos. Credit much of the balance to chef de cuisine Amy Brandwein's thorough yet whimsical menu.

Brandwein cut her teeth working in the kitchen with Roberto Donna, most recently at the innovative Bebo Trattoria. Her attention to detail — especially when seeking out local farms for ingredients — lent a hometown pride to the food. She has devised a large number of dishes that cater to the myriad cultures and tastes of Washington (and the Ritz's) patrons. Flavors of Morocco, Rome and Madrid pervade the menu.

Braised Pennsylvania rabbit is tart and warm on the palate, its softness complemented by a crisp mantle of black-eyed peas. Try pairing it with the soup of spring vegetables, flecked with parmesan and topped with a flotilla of crispy flatbread.

Brandwein makes her own pappardelle. The pasta, swirled into asparagus, porcini and basil, is simple and elegant. Spiced salmon gets a similarly respectful treatment, embellished with olives, tomato and aromatic fennel oil (one of the seductive components in absinthe).

The barbecue shrimp is plump and tangy, while veal sweetbreads with lemon and capers melt in your mouth like saltwater taffy. Grilled octopus with tender potato salad is a triumph of texture.

But perhaps the crowning achievement in Brandwein's repertoire is Amy's Purse (pictured at top). The dish is alarmingly subtle when described (or, for that matter, presented before the diner): A section of baked cod rests on half-inch think discs of potato wading in a cumin-spiked tomato-cilantro broth. The serving process is pure theater. The dish comes in a clear, plastic foil pouch; a quick slice along the bow, and everything opens up, first the delicate perfume of the sauce, then the jewel-like contents.

The cocktail menu is innovative and features a set of drinks tailor-made for escaping from the heat — whether it's of the environmental or the political variety. At Fyve, every sense is covered and every taste is obliged.

» Fyve at the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes St., Arlington; 703-412-2760. (Pentagon City)

Written by Express contributor Christopher Correa
Photo courtesy Linda Roth Associates